We Built an $80 Costco Cart — Then Made It $52 Cheaper With Smart Swaps at Walmart
Costco has long been praised as the ultimate store for buying groceries in bulk, but that doesn’t always mean you’ll spend less overall. Buying in larger quantities drives up your total at checkout, and if you don’t use everything in time, it leads to wasted food and money.
To compare the real savings, we built an $80 grocery cart at Costco using everyday staples, then recreated a similar cart at Walmart using smaller sizes and more affordable store-brand alternatives.
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The $80 Costco Cart
We focused on everyday staples the average person might pick up for the week:
Rotisserie chicken – $5.66
Kirkland organic eggs (24 count) – $9.07
Milk (2 gallons) – $8.96
Bread (2-pack) – $10.54
Bananas (1 bunch) – $1.69
Spinach (1 lb) – $4.30
Chicken breast (bulk pack) – $28.48
Rice (large bag) – $15.99
Total: $84.69
This is a solid cart, but because Costco sells many items in bulk, that isn’t always ideal for your wallet — especially for products like produce that can spoil quickly. If you live alone or have a small household, you may be better off shopping elsewhere.
The Walmart Cart With Smart Swaps
So, now let’s rebuild that same cart at Walmart, where we were able to find similar items in affordable store brands and right-sized portions:
Rotisserie chicken – $5.97
Great Value eggs (18 count) – $2.17
Milk (1 gallon) – $3.57
Great Value bread (1 loaf) – $2.17
Bananas (1 bunch) – $1.71
Spinach (1 lb) – $5.46
Chicken breast (smaller pack) – $9.93
Great Value rice (smaller bag) – $1.77
Total: $32.75
As you can see, because Walmart offers smaller quantities and lower-priced store brands, the total drops from $84.69 to just $32.75. While Costco may have a lower price per unit, it doesn’t always translate to lower overall spending — especially if food goes to waste.
Should You Shop at Costco or Walmart?
It depends. If you have a big family, shopping at Costco may be worth it. If not, Walmart may actually save you more money.
Generally, the only way to reap the financial benefits at Costco is to buy bulk-sized quantities, which isn't for everyone. If you cook for yourself only, buying a huge bag of spinach or 10 pounds of potatoes means you might just end up wasting food and money since they could go bad pretty fast. Plus, a Costco membership costs either $65 or $130 per year, depending on the plan you choose, so you'd have to spend enough to make it worth it.
That said, you don’t have to choose one over the other. Costco can be great for stocking up on staples you use often, like toilet paper, paper towels and pantry items. Whereas Walmart is better for everyday groceries when you only need smaller quantities. Plus, there’s no membership fee, and Great Value items often cost less than name brands.
At the end of the day, the choice between Walmart and Costco depends on how you shop. Walmart is open to everyone and sells smaller packs, but Costco has better bulk deals and could save bigger families more money.
Editor’s note: Prices and availability are subject to change.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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